So here are those long-awaited points, as they appeared in an article by Prof. Robert Whitelaw that was published in Vol.1 No.1 of The Researcher, Spring 1971 issue, pp19-20.

The Five Points of Finalism

1. ONE UNIQUE & FINAL REVELATION

The Bible is God's final revelation to sinful man. There are no later revelations to supplement or supersede it; nor special interpretations explicitly reserved for latter-day saints¹, hidden from the apostles. "History does not explain the Bible; the Bible explains history!" 2 Peter 1:16-21; Gal. 1:6-12; Jn 14:26, 16:5-15 et al.

2. ONE UNIQUE & FINAL INCARNATION

Our Lord Jesus, the Logos of creation, the I AM of history, the eternal Lord of Glory, was made flesh and dwelt among us, once, in the ‘fullness of time’, in one unique and final incarnation, in the body which suffered upon the cross and rose again. He is not to be made flesh again to sit upon a carnal throne; nor will He appear again either to Jews or Gentiles, believers or unbelievers, until He is revealed in His present heavenly form and majesty to judge the quick and the dead of all ages. 1 Peter 1:1; Rev. 1; 1 Cor. 15:35-52; Gal. 4:4; Jn 1:1 et al.

3. ONE UNIQUE & FINAL GOSPEL AGE

This present Gospel Age is the last time given to mankind to hear and accept God’s offer of salvation. It is the final age in a great extended drama of human history from creation to consummation. There is no carnal age to follow in which any will be given a second chance or another means of salvation. Mt 13:24-43, 47-50; 25:1-13; Luke 13:22-30; 2 Cor. 6:2; Heb. 4, 12:22-29; 1 Peter 1; 2 Peter 3. 

4. ONE UNIQUE & FINAL SACRIFICE AND ATONEMENT FOR SIN

Jesus’ atoning death on the cross is the unique and final all-sufficient sacrifice for human sin accepted by God. It was ordained in eternity – not the afterthought of a ‘kingdom offer rejected’, and the One sacrificed was sinless – not one who by word or deed conspired to overthrow earthly rule by force. There is to be no more sacrifice for sin forever, either as re-enactment (the Roman Mass) or as ‘memorial’, and any such practice is an abomination to God, for it crucifies the Lord afresh. Heb. 7-10 and 1 Cor. 11.

5. ONE UNIQUE & FINAL SECOND COMING, RESURRECTION, AND CONSUMMATION

This final age will terminate on the last day, when the earth will make its final revolution and then be dissolved and pass away (Is. 65; Rom. 8; 1 Cor. 3; Heb. 12; 2 Peter 3; Rev. 21-22). Then will occur the final resurrection of the just and unjust of all ages, and the transformation of the living; then will Christ appear in glory with all His holy angels, before Whom all will stand in final judgment. Then will the wicked receive their just and final punishment, and the saved, clothed in Christ’s righteousness, will enter into their final reward. Dan 12:1-3; Mt 25; Jn 5:28-29; Acts 17:31, 24:15; 2 Cor. 5:10, 1 Thess. 4:13-5:9; 2 Thess. 1:5-10; 2 Peter 3:1-15; Rev 6:12-17, 11:15-19, 20:11-15, et al.

So, as you can see, the subject of eschatology is not some kind of afterthought tagged on at the end to tickle a few fancies with lurid stories about people disappearing, or earthly, carnal delights to come. On the contrary, it is woven into the warp & woof of fundamental truth, and has far-reaching consequences to these truths if we deviate from the path that they define.

I put it to all of you who demur that chiliasm in all its forms represents a root & branch reinterpretation of fundamental truth that cannot withstand close scrutiny by the light of Scriptural standards. How else, for example, can you explain the widely held chiliastic belief that the opportunity for salvation will continue for at least 1,000 years (or 1,007 according to dispensationalists) after the second advent in the face of some of the clearest statements of Holy Writ to the contrary? Or the continuation of sin, death and decay during the same period? And all in the teeth of passages such as 1 Cor. 15 and Rom. 8?

No, such beliefs can only be the result of a fundamentally flawed hermeneutic, at the heart of which lies a complete disregard for the manner in which the OT was interpreted by the Apostles of the New Covenant.

NOTES

1. trapper, please note.

PS I may well have some spare copies of some issues of The Researcher. If you would like them, pm or e-mail me your address. No charge.